DEPARTMENT OF
ECONOMICS
FACULTY OF
SOCIAL SCIENCE
ABSTRACT
The
essence of this project is to make a thorough research Input into the study of
poverty Alleviation Programmes as a Fundamental tool for the general economic
development in Nigeria.
How the people have fared with the system is the major concern of this work depicted in Amasiri context.
In carrying out this research project, both primary and secondary data were
employed. Direct interview and questionnaires with selected persons from
communities were embarked upon (based on random sampling). This served as the
primary data Source. Then, texts, thesis, journals, Newspapers and magazines.
Were consulted to form the secondary data sources. In testing the hypothesis, a
chi-square analysis or technique was employed to depict the relationship
between poverty Alleviation programmes and development. In the course of this
work, the researcher found out that poverty Alleviation programmes have
significant impact on poverty level in Amasiri Development Center of Ebony
State. Based on the above, the researcher made some Recommendations that can help to eliminate
those factors that hamper the full actualization of the objectives of the
poverty Alleviation programme in Amasiri
Development Center
in particular and Ebonyi State of Nigeria in general.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Approval
Page ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgment iv
Table
of Contents v
Abstract
vi
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 5
1.3 Objective of the Study 6
1.4 Research Hypothesis 7
1.5 Significance of the Study 7
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study 8
CHAPTER TWO: Literature
Review
2.1 Theoretical Framework on Poverty 10
2.2 The Concept of Poverty 10
2.3 Causes of Poverty 14
2.4 Characteristics of Poverty in Nigeria
Education Level of the
Heads
of the Household 15
2.5 Measurement of Poverty 17
2.6 Poverty Situation in Nigeria 18
2.7 Reviews on Current Approaches to Poverty
Alleviation 20
2.8 Strategies for Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria 22
2.9 The Concept of Development 24
CHAPTER THREE:
Research Methodology
3.1 Source of Data 26
3.2 Method of Data Collection 26
33. Population of the Study 27
3.4 Sampling Techniques and Sample Size 27
3.5 Method of Data Analysis 28
3.6 Statistical Method Used 29
CHAPTER FOUR: Presentation
and Analysis of Data
4.1 Analysis of Data 33
4.2 Test of Hypothesis 39
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary of
Findings Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Summary of Findings 43
5.2 Conclusion 44
5.3 Recommendation 45
Bibliography 48
Appendix
I 50
Appendix
II 51
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Any
life or aspect of life that is unexamined is not worth living. Critical
monitoring and review of human system is therefore a proper thing to do at all
times and in all situations otherwise the system denied of adequate feedback
might suffer discontinuity. This is especially so with a dynamic phenomenon
like poverty in an ever changing world.
One
of the major objectives of every government is to achieve a sustainable
economic growth and development. Basically, this objective is accomplished through
and among others, putting in place effective and efficient development policy
programmes and measure, sound socio-political and economic development
programmes. Development Economists have propounded that for a nation to attain
radical economic growth and development, it must posses certain ingredients
such as the development of human, material and natural resources.
In
view of this, the problem of poverty has become a global issue because of its
economic impact on the growth and development of the national economy. For
instance, a nation that is economically poor in human, material and natural
resources will encounter serious difficulties in her effort to achieve rapid
economic development. Therefore, for any nation to attain economic growth and
development it must develop its resources.
Poverty
is a living condition in which an entity is faced with economic, social, political
cultural and environmental deprivations (Ajakaiye and Olamol; 1999).It is a
state of involuntary deprivation to which a person, household, community or
nation can be subjected. Furthermore, poverty can be defined in its absolute sense
as a situation where a population or section of population is able to meet only
bare subsistence essentials of food, clothing, and shelter in order to maintain
minimum standard of living
(Balogun,
1999).The definition requires that a yard-stick to be set which can be used to
assess who is poor and who is not. This leads to the emergence of the concept
of poverty based on the level of income per capita or consumption pattern of
the urban centers within the country.
Consequently,
the simplest definition of poverty usually implies not having enough to eat,
poor drinking water, poor sanitation, poor nutrition, unfit shelter, high
infant mortality rate, low life expectancy rate, poor environmental conditions,
low level of energy, low educational opportunities, poor health condition due
to inadequate health care, lack of productive assets, general lack of economic
infrastructure and lack of active participation in the decision making process
either it affects the individual or
residential layout or national arena be it management or
political(Olaclune,1999).Thus, the misfortune of continued chronic poverty is
exacerbated by the traditions in methodological commitments to poverty
alleviation rights, international financing and donor agencies have since
discovered that government have a role
to play in poverty reduction. Thus, in recent times, all effort in the urban
centers aimed at promoting urban development, social development, and
infrastructural development. Today, it is known as poverty alleviation.
Ordinarily,
one would expect a certain level of growth in the socio-economic status of a
developing nation like Nigeria
at this stage. A fact which is inscribed in the constitution that government
shall control the national economy in such a manner as to secure the maximum welfare,
freedom and happiness of every Nigerian citizen on the basis of social justice (constitution
of the federal republic of Nigeria 1979, Act 10(a)).But despite this fact, the
citizenry are living below standard and met with difficult situation daily. The
conspicuous fact is that the minimum wage paid to senior civil servant can in
no way square up with their daily expenses at this high rate of inflation. Most
of them cannot feed their families let alone pay school fees, buy clothes or
even provide shelter for them.
Consequently
a good number of them now put in their motorcycles or cars on the roads for
transport services as part time jobs in order to make ends meet. What then
becomes of junior civil servants? This is a billion dollar question. Today, one
can establish without fear of contradiction that the present difficult
situation in the country has made many young Nigerian girls and boys to accept
and embrace prostitution and crime as a welcome means of livelihood both at
home and abroad.
The
plight of the Nigerian students is another sensitive area of interest in this
research project. For decades now, no one talks of scholarship again, while
tuition fees are periodically on the increase, like the recent one in Ebony
state University. Even the payment of bursary awards to students has become a
non issue. Thus, you hear them talk and practice stomach adjustment programmes
like 0-1-0, 1-0-0, 1-0-1, 0-0-1 and so on. These are but a few faces that
project hardship in this country (Nigeria).
The
plant for the prosperity must address a startling paradox: more than two third of
the Nigerian people are poor, despite living in a country with a vast potential
wealth. Although revenue from the crude oil has been increasing over the past
decade, our people have been increasingly over the past decade, our people have
been falling deeper into poverty.
Finally,
the emphases is on what strategy that will be adopted to arrest the problem
of poverty alleviation programme it is the researcher’s view that to
alleviate poverty to the dearest minimal level, the basic questions to ask are; who are the poor?, why are they poor?
How do they feel about their poor condition? What effort(s) have they made to
alleviate their poor situation?
In
view of the above, the researcher intends to showcase in this thesis the impacts
and impacts of the efforts of the government, non –governmental organization
and international agencies towards achieving a sustainable development through
poverty alleviation programme.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The
trends of the poverty in most of the developing countries (Nigeria) have
been increasing rapidly, these trends constitute. A virus, in spite of the
effort made by the federal, state, local government, international and private
agencies to address poverty situation through the provision of basic human
needs and their sustenance.
The
unreliable and inadequate public services and facilities in most part of the
economy have further aggravated the living condition of the poor whose
numerical strength is ever increasing.
The
current economic meltdown has force many small and medium scale industrial
establishments and even government establishment to lay off some of their
staff, this increasing the level of unemployment and poverty in the country.
The
immediate effect of poverty in Nigeria
has led to the unsustainable development in the country.
This
is low productivity, Lacks of capital low income, absence of modern techniques
of production etc.
Consequently,
the strategies so far adopted by the government in an attempt to effectively
and efficiently curb the spread of the growing effect of this virus (poverty)
in Nigeria
over the years have not been yielding positive results.
The
following question will guide the researcher in the research study;
What
is the effect of poverty in Amasiri Development Center of Ebonyi State? Can the
source and causes of poverty be identified in Amasiri Development Center of
Ebonyi State.
Is
there any relationship between poverty alleviation and economic development?
Have
there been any benefits derived from poverty alleviation programmes.
1.3 Objectives of the Study:
Based
on the problem created by poverty in Nigeria
in general and Amasiri Development center in particular, this work attempt to
pursue the following objectives;
1.
To X-ray. The effects of poverty
in Amasiri Development center of Ebony state.
2.
To identify the source and courses of poverty incidence in Amasiri
and how the poverty alleviation programme has helped to alleviating poverty in
Amasiri development center
3.
To analyze the relationship
between poverty alleviation and development.
4.
To find out if the people of Amasiri
development center have benefited from the poverty alleviation programme, how
has it affected or improved their living standard.
5.
Finally this work intends to make
some policy recommendation concerning the best strategy to be adopted by the
government to alleviate poverty in Ebony state and Amasiri in particular.
1.4 Research
Hypotheses
Sequel to the statement of problems and
theoretical,
The following assumptions could
be made:
H0:
poverty alleviation programmes does not
have significant impact on poverty level in Amasiri Development
Center.
H1:
poverty alleviation programmes has
significant impact on the poverty level
in Amasiri development Center.
1.5. Significant of the Study
The necessity
to carry out any study hinges on the importance and value of the work to
humanity.
Since the programme is a
conscious effort by the government to solve poverty problem in the country
there is need to conduct a statistical study on the programme in order to
appraise its performance. This study will be useful to the government, academic
institutions, individuals and researchers.
To the government, there will be
acquaintance with respect to poverty alleviation programmes, which shall be
enhanced to promote economic growth and development.
The academic institution will
have more resources on poverty alleviation strategies, which shall equally add
to the body of knowledge.
Individuals who consult this
research work shall adopt various means of reducing poverty without solely
depending on the government.
Finally, it will also serve as a
reference work to other researchers who may wish to carry out research work
relating to poverty alleviation programmes as a tool for sustainable economic
development.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
The area of this study is Nigeria with a
trim down review of Amasiri Development Center of Ebonyi State setting. In fact,
the study is actually that of poverty Alleviation programme in Amasiri
Development Center of Ebonyi State per belittle excursion shall be taken
outside the focus area to actualize the aphorism that ‘poverty Alleviation
Programme is a tool for sustainable development’.
This work is limited by time and
financial constraint. The researcher could not visit some organizations and
sample areas where useful information could be obtained due to time and money
available to him.
Therefore, the reliability of this research
work is subject to the reliability of the statistical data published by the
Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) and data collected from questionnaires
distributed to the locality under study.
CHATER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Framework
on Poverty:
The
issue of poverty is a global one, which constitutes: social, political and
cultural deprivation faced by a person, household, community and nation at any
particular time. It is a socio-economic ‘’cancer’’ that is as old as history.
The world is made of two groups, the ‘’Haves’’ and the ‘’Have not’ those who
live in plenty and those who stagnate in want and familiar only with fear of
hunger, sickness, and death.
As
Author Mc Cormeck (1963) has noted this was championed by Dr. BR. See, that one does not have to
seek the aid of statistics to discover the widespread poverty that exist in
many parts of the world today. It is visible to the naked eye; one merely has
to walk in these parts of the world with one’s eyes opened.
2.2 The Concept of Poverty:
A
search of relevant literature quickly shows that there is no general consensus
on the definition of poverty. Because it affects many aspects of the human
condition including physical, moral and psychological, a concise and
universally accepted definition of poverty is elusive. Different criteria have
therefore, been used to conceptualize poverty. The most common practice is to
conceptualize poverty into absolute and relative poverty. Absolute poverty has
been defined as the approximate maximum proportion
of
income that a family spends on certain subsistence goods(watts,1967). Aliyu in
Ayemoni (2003) explains absolute poverty to be the condition where an individual or group of people are
unable to satisfy their basic requirements for human survival in terms of
education, health, housing, feeding, employment, transportation etc. It refers
to a condition under which there is a serious deficiency or lack of access to
what are considered the basic necessities of normal life. Absolute poverty
considers poverty as lack of resources to consume certain basic necessities
such as food, shelter, and clothing among others.
Relative
poverty on the other hand has to do with the living standard that prevails in a
particular society. It is defined as the inability to attain a given minimum
contemporary standard of living (D’Silva; 1992 and Odosola, 1997). While the
concept of absolute poverty tends to identify those who are the poorest with
the overall pattern of income distribution within a given country (Odusola,
1997).
Some
analysis follows the conventional view of poverty as a result insufficient
income for securing basic goods and services. Other view poverty, in part as a
function of education, health, life expectance, child morality, etc. It is in
buttressing the difficulties encountered in arriving at a common and generally
acceptable definition of poverty that Aboynle (1997) posits that there seems to
be a general agreement, that poverty is a difficult concept to handle, and that
it is more easily recognized than defined. Even, attempts made to categorize
some specific areas at which poverty could be viewed are fraught with lack of
agreement. For instance, the organization for Economic co-operation and
Development guideline on poverty Education (2002:29) stressed that “an adequate
concept of poverty should include all the important areas in which people of
either gender are deprived and perceived as incapacitated in different
societies and local context. It should encompass the causal links between the
core dimension of poverty and the central importance of gender and environmental
sustainable development.
The
organization fails to define poverty but rather enumerated “The core dimension”.
A definition of poverty should include, economic, human, political,
socio-cultural and protective capabilities on the other hand, Nairayan et al (2000:29-30)
in buttressing that poverty is multidimensional, he says “definition of poverty
and its causes vary by gender, age,
cultural, and other social and economic contexts. They defined poverty from
such categories as, lack of voice, power and independence, well or ill living,
regional gender etc.
Every
poverty element like lack of power and voices are explained differently in
various countries. A Ghanaian in 1995 as stated in narayan et al (2000:39)
explained poverty in the dimension of lack of power and voices thus; “You know
good, but cannot do good”. That is to say that such a person knows what is
good, but has not got the means to do it. In the same vein, an elderly poor man
in Uganda
explained in his own words “The forces of poverty and impoverishment are so
powerful today that it is only the government or big churches that can manage
it so, we feel somewhat helpless. It is this feeling of helplessness that is
painful, more painful than poverty itself”.
Another
poor man in Kenya
in 1997 as reported by Narayan et al (2000: 30) said “Don’t ask me what poverty
is because you have met it outside my house. Look at the house and count the
number of holes. Look at my utensils and the clothes I am wearing. Look at
everything and write what you see. What you see is poverty”. In relation to
people, the basic concept of poverty refers to a serious inadequacy of economic
conditions, a situation of individual, group or regional lack or deprivation of
what are considered the necessities for acceptable living standard, a situation
of not having access to a conducive
environment and the facilities and opportunities for decent living (Ukwu I Ukwu,2004).
Caulking (1984), considers poverty as a condition in which people
Have
little money to afford the basic necessities of life. Caulking, of course
adopted income level as the basis for determining a state of poverty. Nyah (1996)
sees a situation of absolute poverty when a population or a section of the
population is unable to meet only its bare subsistence essentials of food, clothing
and shelter in order to maintain maximum levels of living.
The
Central Bank Of Nigeria (1999: 1) view poverty as a state where an individual
is not able to cater adequately for his or her basic needs of food, clothing
and shelter, is unable to meet social and economic obligations, lack gainful
employment, skill assets and self-esteem, and has limited access to social and
economic infrastructures such as education, health, portable water, and
sanitation and consequently has limited chances or advantages to his or her
capabilities.
The World Bank (2000) defined poverty as “the
lack of what is necessary for material well-being especially food, land and
other assets”. In other words, poverty is the lack of multiple resources that
leads to hunger and physical deprivation. From the foregoing, it can be drawn
from the conceptualization of poverty above that any attempt to design
pragmatic approach to poverty alleviation has to adopt mixture of strategies
since poverty is multi-faceted in scope and in dimension.
2.3 Causes
of Poverty:
Poverty
has many causes, all of which reinforce one another. One source of poverty is
the lack of basic services, such as clean water, education, and health care.
Another is lack of assets, such as land, tools, credit, and supportive networks
of friends and family. A third is lack of income, including food, shelter,
clothing, and empowerment (political power, confidence, dignity). Some of these
factors directly affect poverty. Others contribute indirectly, by producing
inequality by stifling the political power of certain sectors of the
population, for example or denying them their dignity or human rights. All of
these factors are affected by the environment in which people live.
Discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, disability, age, or ill health
increase vulnerability to poverty. So do natural or human-caused shocks-market
collapses, conflicts, droughts, or floods.
The many strands of poverty intermine
and can pull people into a down ward spiral. Because tackling one factor may
not be enough to lift a family out of poverty, an effective poverty reduction
strategy must attack poverty on all fronts at the same time.
2.4 Characteristics
of Poverty in Nigeria
Education Level of the Heads of the Household
Evidence
from federal office of statistics (1999) showed that education reduces the
chances of being poor. For instance, household heads per person without
education exhibited the highest poverty head count ranging from 30.2 percent in
1980 to 72.6 percent in 1996, this is also collaborated by the central bank of
Nigeria/world bank study (1999) that education is crucial as it provides skill
and abilities, which allow households to secure productive and well paying
jobs.
On
the other hand, lack of education deprives the households the capacity to be
gainfully employed and raise productivity and income. Thus, the low
productivity and low income of the household heads are strongly correlated with
their low level of training, skills acquisition and educational attainment generally.
Households Size:
It
can be depicted that poverty level consistently increase with the size of the
household.(Awoseijila,1999)poverty headcount which ranged between 9 percent for
a household of four members and below 80.9 percent in 1996 respectively. The
central bank of Nigeria/
world bank study (1999) corroborated the nation that incident of poverty
compounded in urban centers. The increase in the number of household size
portends a worsened poverty situation since it implied adversely on the declining
income, feeding ability and living conditions of the households.
Household Income
Ten
different occupational categories, professional, Technical, Administration,
clerical and related sales workers, service, manufacturing and processing,
students and apprentices and others were
identified with household heads (Federal Office of Statistics, 1999). These
occupational types produces explanation for the level of poverty, since certain
occupational practices are characterized by low productivity, low income and
very limited access to economic resource and social physical infrastructure in
the urban centers.
2.5 Measurement
of Poverty
The
most widely used measure of poverty is known as the head count. According to
baridhan (1973) and ahluwaha (1976) head count ratio is the ratio is the ratio
of individuals or households whose income falls bellow the poverty line.
Another traditional measure is the poverty – gap.
This
is the average deviation of the income of the poor from the poverty line. These
two measures have the problems of being very insensitive to the actual income
level of the poor.
Thus,
a transfer from the poorest of the least poor, which raises the income of the
later above poverty line, would reduce head counts while in the case of poverty
–gap it will be less obvious that poverty has fallen. This problem of
insensitivity seems to have been addressed by sense (1976) index sense, index
relies on three parameters the head- count ratio income gap ratio as a proportion
of poverty line, and the coefficient of the distribution of the income among
the poor.
However,
despite the elegance of the sense index which has been formalized by many
scholars. It has a major setback like all others of being based on micro (household)
data usually obtained through large scale household survey. In recent times
opinions are now grouping towards a consensus. It is now grouping towards a
consensus. It is now agreed upon that poverty embraces both material and non material
aspects. The material aspect can be captured in terms of monetary (as depicted
by absolute poverty).
However,
poverty is not only measured by income and consumption. It also includes non-
material aspects relating to quality of life, such as nutritional and health
status and educational attainment (Morris 1978; world Bank 1993). Since these
indicators are not easy to measure, it is a common practice to supplement
income –based measures of poverty, with non income indicators such as child or
infant mortality, life expectancy school enrollment, Educational status among others.
2.6 Poverty
Situation in Nigeria
Although
poverty is a global phenomenon, it has
been observed that Nigeria
is one of the poorest countries in the world despite its abundant natural
resources. Nigeria is the 20th
poorest in the world; the poverty level in Nigeria has reached an alarming
stage where 70% of her population lives below the poverty line. The federal office
of statistics (FOS) report for the period 1980-1996, indicates that about 67
million Nigerians are living below the poverty level. The report also indicate
that during 1980-1985 the percentage of rural duelers and urban inhabitants in
the core poverty bracket respectively in that same period, the percentage of
moderately poor in the rural areas rose from 21.8 to 36.6 percent and 14.2 to
30.3 percent respectively. The report also indicates that the number of non –
poor in both rural and urban areas dropped from 71.7 and 82.8 percent to 48.6
and 56.2 percent respectively. The
number of rural poor (million approximate) in 2008 was 28,443,456.8. Life
expectancy at birth in 2007 was 188.8. Mortality rate infant (per 1,000 live
birth s) in 2007 was 97.2.
The
introduction of the structural adjustment programme in 1986 witnessed a
significant reduction in poverty among the moderately poor, while the menace of
poverty among the core poor deteriorated. For instance, there was increase from
14.8 percent in 1985 to 15.8 percent in 1992, while the moderately poor
decreased during the period. The percentage of the core poor in the urban
centers increased from7.5 in 1985 o 10.7 in 1985 to 26.8 percent in 1992.
During the 1992 – 1996 periods, the percentage of the core poor increased from
15.8 to 31.6 percent. These imply that while rural poverty increased by 22
percent between 1992 and 1996 consequently, there was and overall decline in
the standard of living.
The obvious deduction from the above
scenario is that Nigerians in general are becoming is increasingly
impoverished. This is anchored on their lack of basic choice and opportunities
to live a long and healthy life and to enjoy a decent standard of living.
According to the human development
report of 2009, the human poverty index
( HPI-I), focuses on the proportion of people below certain threshold
levels in each of the dimension of the human development index-living a long
and healthy life, having access to education, and a decent standard of living.
By looking beyond income deprivation,
the HPI-I represent a multi-dimensional alternative to the $1.25 a day poverty measure.
The HPI-I value for Nigeria is
36.2%.
According to this report the
probability of not surviving to age 40 is 37.4%, adult literacy rate 1% age and
above is 28.0% while the percentages of children under weight/form the age
under 5 is 29%.
However,
the paradox of this issue which is baffling to development observers in Nigeria is how
this situation was allowed to germinate in the midst of abundant natural
resources.
2.7 Reviews On Current Approaches To Poverty Alleviation:
Foluso Oku (1999) highlighted on the
current approaches to the urban poverty, these approaches are directly to
ensure measures that will effectively and sustainably alleviate the poverty
level in Nigeria.
The non-governmental organization (NGO
1999) focused on educational development, health, community organization, loan
disbursement schemes and helped in the implementation of development programmes
of the urban poor. NGOs suggested that with the application of the initiated
programmes (UNDP, 1990) summit on urban poverty is to provide technical
workshops, research and consultative programmes with others agencies to reduce
the urban poverty in Nigeria.
The united nation development programme (UNDP1999) summit on urban poverty is
to support the government policies through creation of job opportunities and
sustainable livelihood management of social development and sustainable
agriculture, environment and urban poverty in the cities.
The UNICEF (1999) summit on urban poverty
looked at a physical and social problems of the urban poor in their
environment. Thus reduction in infant under 5yrs and maternal mortality rate,
reduction in malnutrition, universal access to safe drinking water and sanitary means of human waste disposal,
access to education etc.
The
world health organization ( WHO;1999) summit on urban poverty in the cities of
Nigeria emphasizes on health priorities, preventing and controlling such
diseases as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as well as epidemic outbreak like
cholera, meningitis and waste while also working in the area of disease related
to children and childhood illness to
eradicate poverty in Nigeria.
The International Labor
Organization(ILO; 1999) summit on urban poverty in an important promotion of an
urban employment in different urban center was aimed at providing employment,
elimination of obnoxious child labor, improvement, of labor administration,
occupational safety and health issues, respect for human rights, social security,
labor management information system and good governance.
The department for International Development (DFID,
1999) summit on urban poverty strengthens the NGO’s capacity towards
sustainable livelihood, democracy, human right and governance, basic education,
so that the poor will be involved in all decision and design programme for
development.
2.8 Strategies
for Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria
Government strategies will be centered on
actions that can rapidly lead to a reduction of poverty and establish the frame
work to prevent a replace. Such measure will include the following.
1.
In order to achieve the
objectives of poverty alleviation programmes, the social environment will be
made conducive by ensuring access of the poor to health care services, basic
and adult education, good drinking water, and environmental care.
2.
Development programmes will be
deliberately sensitive to the needs of woman and the disadvantaged.
3.
Monitoring and evaluating of
poverty alleviation programmes will assume a major part of implementing development
programmes in Nigeria.
4.
Integration of poverty
alleviation objectives and programmes into the perspective plan, rolling plans
national and state budgets.
5.
Efficient socio-economic
management, preservative and conservation of Nigeria natural resources will be
pursued in order to protect the interest of future generation of Nigerians.
6.
Government micro-economic
policies will be people oriented and designed to ensure that people are not
marginalized or subjected to unnecessary suffering in the pursuit of their
legitimate interest and well being.
7.
Development programmes will be
designed to produce a broad based development of the people and the resources
they require to live a useful and productive life, with a view to achieving a
balanced, equitable and sustainable economic growth and development.
8.
All effort and assistance to the
poor will be complemented by a strong commitment to building the capacity of
the individual and communities for self-reliance.
9.
The community and household will
be used as the reference point for poverty alleviation programmes to ensure the
participation of the beneficiaries in the initiation, design and management of
the projects and high impact for the programmes.
10. Credit
will be made available to the grassroots and the poor for productive
engagement. In addition, policies will ensure that productive assets are
provided at affordable, cost effective and cost-sharing prices.
2.9 The Concept of Development
Development is a complex phenomenon that
involves many aspects of life ranging from health, education, agriculture,
politics, economics and social.
Development is also defined as making people
to realize their potentials and putting them to action in order to help
improving both the entire nation and oneself. It is hard work; lazy individuals
develop lazy nation hence undeveloped societies.
Development is define as the
fulfillment of the necessary conditions for the realization of the potential of
human personality which transforms into reduction of poverty, inequality,
unemployment and satisfaction of basic need; such as food, education, and
certain social indicators such as housing, electricity and general high quality
of life.
AZIZ (1978) summarized
development as: being focus on meeting the human needs of the entire society
through a strategy that would provide rapid increase in the production of
certain goods and services and the distribution of land and other productive
assets as well as a change of political power structure. It also involves
cultural growth through education and community life creativity, freedom of
association and expression.
Professor Dudley Seers argues
that development is about an outcome that is development occurs with the
reduction and elimination of poverty, inequality, and unemployment within a
growing economy.
Economic development is the
development of economic wealth of countries or regions for the well being of
their inhabitants. From a policy perspective, economic development can be
define as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of
life for a community by creativity and retaining jobs and supporting or growing
income and the tax base. The term economic development on the other hand,
implies much more, it typically refers to improvement in a variety of
indicators such as literacy rates, life expectancy, and poverty rates. GDP is a
specific measure of economic welfare that does not take into account important
aspects such as leisure time, environmental quality, freedom or social justice.
Economic growth of any specific measure is not a sufficient definition of
economic development.
On the other hand, sustainable development is
that which economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound.
Development is not sustainable if it does not integrate all three elements. It
implies long term synergy through changes in business practices and life
styles, as well as the adoption of environmental and social standard to stay
within the limits of available resources.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Sources of Data:
The execution of any project is primarily dependant on the nature and
quality of data that are available. To this effect, much attention is paid to
the method of data collection and the sources of data being collected. A poor method of data collection, no doubts,
leads to fluctuations or errors in the data analysis and consequently lead to
inaccurate conclusions. The source of data has similar effect but goes to
determine the quality of the data, their reliability and degree of confidence
in using such data for statistical inference. There numerous ways of data
collection form statistical analysis but for this project, data collected are
both primary and secondary data.
3.2 Method
of data Collection
For
the purpose of this project, the researcher made extensive use of primary data
collected through the help of questionnaires; structured and oral interviews
were documentary sources. A questionnaire was administered based on the
selected local communities in Amasiri Development center.
3.3 Population of the Study
The populations
of the study were resident in Amasiri development center. It has five (5)
communities namely: Ezeke, Ndukwe, Ohaechara and Poperi.
The population size of the mentioned
communities is one hundred and thirty- four thousand, four hundred and
thirty-eight (134,438). Source: Federal
Republic Of Nigeria Official Gazette 2009.
3.4
Sampling
Techniques and Sample Size
Kane (1987:90)
define population as “a group in which all the individuals or items are singled
out for study”.
In other words, who or what
constitutes the population to be studied. The idea of sampling or determining
sample size is to obtain a part of the population from which some information
of the entire population can be inferred. The sample frame will comprise the
following; Ezeke, Ndukwe and Poperi. The population sizes of the randomly
selected communities are; 42, 143, 29,281, and 19,854 respectively. Thus, the
total population size for the randomly selected to avoid biasness. There is
need to determine the sample size by the use of Tami Taro method
Thus n= ____N ____
1+N (e) 2
Where n=desired population size
N=Total population size
E=maximum acceptable margin of
error
1=is a constant.
Thus,
n= N_____
1+N (e) 2
n= _______ 91,278
1 + 91278 (0.0025)
n= 91,278
91,279 (0.0025)
n= 91,278
228.1975 = 399
Therefore,
the sample size is 399. This random selection of 3 communities gave us a sample
size of 399 persons. This was considered enough to permit the statistics
compilations that was involve in the analysis.
3.5 Method
of data Analysis
In the course of this project, the
numerical data collected are presented in a contingency table with a
corresponding analysis. Again, the numerical data were later presented in a
calculated table and proper interpretation was given.
However, on the analysis of the
numerical data, and its interpretation, inference were drawn which confirms
with the earlier made hypothesis in the chapter one of this project work.
3.6
Statistical Method Used
The
statistical method used by the researcher in this work is a non-parametric
method of significance testing otherwise called chi-square (X2) test
statistics. This method of test is employed for testing two or more population
proportions.
The
essence of using the chi-square test in this project is to investigate how
observed frequencies agree with the expected frequencies. Meanwhile, observed
frequency is the frequency or proportion given to you or observed. The expected
or theoretical frequency on the other hand is the frequency that should be
calculated.
Therefore,
before we are able to compute the chi-square test statistic. The values of the
observed frequency and expected frequency must be determined.
To
calculate the expected frequency therefore we use the formula.
Eij= ni x nj
n (i.e ith row total times jth
colum total divided by the overall total).
Where: Eij=the expected frequency
ni=the ith
the row total
nj=ith column total
n=the total frequency of all
observed.
If the two values are known (that
is observed frequency and the expected frequency) then, the chi-square test
statistic is defined thus.
X2 =∑r∑c0ij2
I=1,j=1
Eij
Where;X2=chi-square
test.
∑=zigma (summation)
r=number of rows
c=number of columns
oij=the observed frequency in the
ith cell of the table (that is the number of items belonging to the
ith row and ith Columns).
Eij=the expected frequency (that
is ith row total times ith
column total divided by the overall total)
Thus the acceptance or rejection
of our hypothesis depends on the level of significance of the parameter.
This will enable us find out the
chi-square tabulated which will be used in comparing the chi-square calculated
to know whether we are rejecting or accepting the null hypothesis or the
alternative hypothesis.
So, five percent (5%) level of
significance will be used throughout the hypothesis testing.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
There
purpose of this chapter is to present and analyze the data collected, to answer
the specific questions raised by the statistical model. The sample size from
the population study is 399. However, out of the questionnaires distributed to
respondent, 384 questionnaires were return. In analysis the data, we made use
of tables and percentages.
Questionnaires
distributed to various people in the community of Amasiri development center.
|
Respondent
|
Distributed
|
Returned
|
%Returned
|
Not
Returned
|
% Not
Returned
|
|
Traders
|
133
|
127
|
33.1
|
6
|
40
|
|
Student
|
135
|
131
|
34.1
|
4
|
26.7
|
|
Civil
Servant
|
131
|
126
|
32.8
|
5
|
33.3
|
|
Total
|
399
|
384
|
100
|
15
|
100
|
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
From the above table, it is observed
that out of 399 questionnaires distributed, 384 of them were returned.
Considering the number given to various people in the three communities of Amasiri Development Center,
out of 133 questionnaires distributed to traders, 127 questionnaires
representing 33.1% were returned. In the case of student, out of 131
questionnaires, 131 representing 34.1% were returned. Out of 131, 126
representing 32.8% returned by the civil servants.
4.1 Analysis of Data:
1.
Would you rate poverty level high in Amasiri
development Center?
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil
Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
61
|
63
|
57
|
181
|
47.14
|
|
No
|
38
|
54
|
46
|
138
|
35.94
|
|
No Idea
|
28
|
14
|
23
|
65
|
16.92
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka Field survey, 2012
The
above table shows that 181 respondents representing 47.14% rated poverty level
high in Amasiri development center while 138 respondents did not rate poverty
level high in Amasiri
Development Center.
However, 65 respondents representing 16.92% had no idea.
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
61
|
63
|
57
|
181
|
47.14
|
|
No
|
38
|
54
|
46
|
136
|
35.94
|
|
No idea
|
28
|
14
|
23
|
65
|
16.92
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
(2)
Is per capital income of people low in Amasiri Development
Center?
Emeka
Field Survey 2012
The
above table shows that 181 respondents representing 47.14% rate poverty level
high in Amasiri Development
Center while 138 respondents did not
rate poverty level high in Amasiri
Development Center.
However, 65 respondents representing 16.92% had no idea.
(2)
Is per capita income of people low in Amasiri Development
Center?
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Student
|
Civil
Servant
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
72
|
81
|
26
|
179
|
46.61
|
|
No
|
50
|
30
|
57
|
137
|
35.68
|
|
No idea
|
5
|
20
|
43
|
68
|
17.71
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
The above table shows
that 179 respondents representing 46.61% agreed that per capita income is low
in Amasiri Development center. However, 137 respondents representing 35.68%
indicated otherwise while 68 respondents representing 17.71% had no idea.
(3) Do you agree
that income inequality is the only tool for measuring poverty?
|
Respondents
|
Trader
|
Students
|
Civil Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
17
|
26
|
19
|
62
|
16.15
|
|
No
|
82
|
87
|
54
|
223
|
58.07
|
|
No idea
|
28
|
18
|
53
|
99
|
25.78
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
The above table shows that 62
respondents representing 16.15% agreed that income inequality is the only tool
for measuring poverty while 223 respondents representing 58.07% did not agree.
199 respondents representing 25.78% had no idea.
(4) Are you in support that poverty has
significant effect on the individual’s standard of living in Amasiri
Development center?
|
Respondents
|
Trader
|
Students
|
Civil Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
81
|
93
|
65
|
239
|
62.24
|
|
No
|
30
|
31
|
51
|
112
|
29.17
|
|
No idea
|
16
|
7
|
10
|
33
|
8.59
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
It is observed from the above table that
239 respondents representing 62.24% supported that poverty has significant
effect on the individuals standard of living in Amasiri development center, 112
respondents did not support it while 33 respondent representing 8.59% had no
idea.
(5)
Is lack
of capital a factor causing poverty?
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil Servants
|
Total
|
Percentages (%)
|
|
Yes
|
98
|
77
|
66
|
241
|
62.76
|
|
No
|
20
|
53
|
56
|
129
|
33.59
|
|
No
idea
|
9
|
1
|
4
|
14
|
3.65
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka field survey, 2012
It is observed from the above table that
241 respondents representing 62.76% agreed that lack of capital is a factor
causing poverty in Amasiri development center while 129 respondents did not
agree with it and 14 respondents representing 3.65% had no idea.
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
51
|
88
|
24
|
163
|
42.45
|
|
No
|
70
|
38
|
99
|
207
|
53.90
|
|
No idea
|
6
|
5
|
3
|
14
|
3.65
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
(6). Does Government react towards poverty
reduction through the provision of capital in Amasiri Development Centre?
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil
Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Yes
|
63
|
71
|
68
|
202
|
52.60
|
|
No
|
56
|
49
|
56
|
161
|
41.93
|
|
No idea
|
8
|
11
|
2
|
21
|
5.47
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
The above table indicates that 163 respondents representing 42.45%
agreed that government reacts towards poverty reduction through the provision
of capital in Amasiri Development. However, 207 respondents representing 53.90%
disagreed while 14 respondents representing 3.65% had no idea.
(7) Are there programmes initialed for poverty
alleviation in Amasiri
Development Center?
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
The above table shows that 202 respondents agreed that there are
programmes initiated for poverty alleviation in Amasiri Development
Center, 161 respondents
representing 41.93% did not agreed with that while, 21 respondents representing
5.47% had no idea.
(8) Do
poverty alleviation programmes have significant impact on poverty level in Amasiri Development Center?
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil
Servants
|
Total
|
Percentage
(%)
|
|
Yes
|
48
|
86
|
96
|
230
|
59.89
|
|
No
|
75
|
39
|
27
|
141
|
36.72
|
|
No
idea
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
13
|
3.39
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
100
|
Emeka Field Survey, 2012
From the table above, it is observed that 230 respondents representing
59.89% agreed that poverty alleviation programmes have significant impact on
poverty level in Amasiri
Development Center.
However, 141 respondents representing 36.72% disagreed with it while, 13
respondents representing 3.39% had no idea.
4.2 Test of Hypothesis:
Having
researched properly, it is pertinent to test the validity or truism of those
hypotheses:
Ho: Poverty alleviation programmes do not have significant impact on
poverty level in Amasiri
Development Center.
The statistical test is X2=∑(0¡-£¡)
£¡
The level of significance used is given
by (c-1)(r-1) ie dif=(c-1)(c-1) where:
C=number of columns
R=number of rows.
There for, d.f=(3-1)(3-1)=2×2=4
Thus at 5% level of significance, the
critical val ue is given as X2=9.49
The next step is the computation of the test statistics aising question
13 from the questionnaire and question number 8 from the analysis.
Research Question 13
Do poverty alleviation programmes have significant impact on poverty
level in Amasiri Development Center?
|
Respondents
|
Traders
|
Students
|
Civil Servants
|
Total
|
|
Yes
|
48
|
86
|
96
|
230
|
|
No
|
75
|
39
|
27
|
141
|
|
No
idea
|
4
|
9
|
3
|
13
|
|
Total
|
127
|
131
|
126
|
384
|
Emeka field survey, 2012
Expected Frequency= Row total ×
Column total
Grand total of
responses.
A = 230 × 127 = 76.07
384
B = 230 × 131 = 78.46
384
C = 230 × 126 = 75.47
384
D = 141 × 127 = 46.63
384
E = 141 × 131 = 48.10
384
F = 141 × 126 = 46.27
384
G = 13 × 127 = 4.29
384
H = 13 × 131 = 4.43
384
I = 13 × 126 = 4.27
384
Contingency Table
|
0¡
|
£¡
|
(0¡-£¡)
|
(0¡-£¡)2
|
(0¡-£¡)2/£¡
|
|
48
|
76.09
|
-28.09
|
789.0481
|
10.37
|
|
75
|
78.46
|
-3.46
|
11.9716
|
1.53
|
|
4
|
75.47
|
-71.47
|
5107.9609
|
67.68
|
|
86
|
46.63
|
39.37
|
1549.9969
|
33.24
|
|
39
|
48.10
|
-9.1
|
82.81
|
1.72
|
|
6
|
46.27
|
-40.27
|
1621.6729
|
35.05
|
|
96
|
4.29
|
91.71
|
8410.7241
|
1960.54
|
|
27
|
4.43
|
22.57
|
509.4049
|
114.99
|
|
3
|
4.27
|
-1.27
|
1.6129
|
3.78
|
|
|
|
|
|
2228.9
|
X2 = £ (0¡
- £¡) 2/£¡ = 2228.9
There for, comparing the test statistic
with the critical value: 2228.9 > 9.49
DECISION:
- From the computation above, we can see that the X2
calculated is greater than the X2 tabulated (i.e. the critical
value). We there for reject the null hypothesis and conclude that poverty
alleviation programmes have significant impact on poverty level in Amasiri Development Center.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARYOF FINDINGS CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary
of Findings
We have successfully conducted
the statistical evaluation of poverty alleviation programmes (A case study of Amasiri Development Center).
We employed a chi-square statistical technique in the analysis of our data. The
data collected was analyzed with reference to the research questions formulated
for response for the study. Thus, based on the analyzed questionnaires, the
following findings where made; that poverty alleviation programmes have
significant impact on poverty level in
Amasiri Development Center; per capita income is low in Amasiri Development
Center ; that lack of capital is one of the factors which cause poverty in
Amasiri Development Center; that income inequality is not the only tool for
measuring poverty; that poverty has significant effect on the individuals standard of living in Amasiri
Development Center; that government reacts towards poverty reduction through provision
of capital in Amasiri Development Center.
Some of the
poverty alleviation programmes initiated in Amasiri Development
Center are: Agricultural
credit guarantee scheme (ACGS), Microfinance, Skill acquisition scheme were
also established and other National poverty Alleviation programmes (NAPEP).
The researcher also found that
microfinance has proven to be an effective and powerful tool for poverty
reduction. Like many other developmental tools, however it has insufficiently
penetrated the poorer strata of the society. The poorest form the vast majority
of those with no access to primary health care and basic education. Similarly,
they are the majority of those without access to microfinance.
5.2 Conclusion
This research project as provided
an appraisal of poverty alleviation programmes as tool for sustainable
development in Nigeria using
a case study of Amasiri
Development Center.
It provides some basis for further discussion on the issues of poverty
alleviation programmes. There is need to shift emphasis to target approach to
poverty alleviation in Nigeria.
This will require several inputs including alternative measures of poverty that
are base on minimum standard either in terms of food, income or other basic
needs to which minimum standard could be applied.
When poverty groups are identified
on the basis of such minimum standard, it makes it easier to address their
poverty problems since policies and programmes could as well be targeted at
them base on aspect of needs that constitute the acceptable minimum standards.
Given the
interest that poverty research has generated in the country especially the last
few years, there is need to ensure that this momentum is not sustained, but
should be used as a vehicle to meaningfully reduce poverty in Nigeria within
the first decades of this 21st century.
5.3
Recommendation
It is
indisputably true that one of the objectives of a research work is to access
the success and failure of a particular venture. While such work is done, some
problems are discovered which militate against the full realization of the
objectives for which the venture was established. On the other hand, some
feasible solutions are also discovered which when applied, can improve the rate
of achieving the set objectives. In this regard we talk about the prospects of
such venture or programmes as the case may be.
In this research work, therefore,
we make some recommendations that help to eliminate those factors that hamper
the full realization of the objectives of the poverty alleviation programmes of
Amasiri Development Center
in particular and that of the Federal Government in general. We also make some
recommendation that can accelerate the success of the programme.
The following recommendations are made based on the results of this
research work via the questionnaires distributed and collected:
(i) The present effort of the government and international
agencies like UNDP,UNICEF,NDE etc, aimed at employment creation, skill
acquisition, provision of credit facilities, enhancing income earning
opportunities of the vulnerable groups among others are very relevant to
poverty reduction. But they need to be properly focused on the poor. This as we
have said earlier requires proper identification of the poor and their
unsatisfied needs.
(ii) Basic education can lay the foundation for human capital
formation through the process of skill acquisition. Hence individuals should
see education as the touch light for development. Also, government should
endeavor to invest more resources in the educational sector, as this will help
in the sustainable development of Nigeria
in general and Amasiri
Development Center
in particular.
(iii) Poverty alleviation progamme requires a holistic approach with a
synergy between the governments at all levels and the civil society to achieve
a radical development in Nigeria.
(iv) Poverty reduction strategy should not focus narrowly on social
welfare measures. Rather, assets redistribution and creation of incentive
structures that can promote the rate and pattern of economic development should
be seen as an essential component.
Considering poverty alleviation programs,
adequate and affordable housing can promote calm and healthy life and thus,
enhance productivity. Therefore, government should adopt measures on low-cost
housing projects that will benefit the poor.
(v) Poverty alleviation programs on Agriculture should be
aimed at providing the bulk of food requirement; providing agricultural inputs
such as improved seedling and fertilizers to farmers, supplying raw materials
to the manufacturing sector, and providing adequate employment and income to
farmers.
(vi) Basic health services should not be ignored in the poverty
alleviation programs as that can enhance the health status of the populace and
hence their participation in the production process. Therefore, government
should ensure that there is a positive structural change in the health sector
as this will contribute to the service delivery sector.
(vii) The government must work not only to improve incomes but to
tackle the many other social and political factors that contribute to poverty
and social exclusion.
(vii) Simply providing more and more reliable power could triple the
amount Nigerian industries produce.
(viii) Nigeria’s
future prosperity depends on producing
children who are well prepared to take their place in tomorrow’s society. There
should be a legal enactment that will give NAPEP the mandate to monitor the
activities of other agencies on poverty reduction.
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